Courtney and I take Winding Way in Worthville, Georgia pretty regularly — it’s our route home near Jackson Lake, and honestly, we take it partly hoping to catch a glimpse of the osprey that’s built a nest at the top of one of the electrical structures along the road. We’ve seen it before, but today was different.
Today there were two of them.
A mating pair, both perched right there on the nest. There was just one problem — I didn’t have the camera with me. We looked at each other, looked back at the birds, and made the decision fast. We drove home, grabbed the gear, and headed straight back, the whole time hoping they’d still be there when we returned.
They were.
What followed was one of those afternoons you don’t plan for but end up being the best part of your week. The mom and dad took turns launching off the nest and heading out over the lake to fish, returning with their catch clutched in their talons. Watching an osprey hunt is something else — they’re built for it. Patient, calculated, then gone in an instant. And that nest, sitting on top of the old “96” marker on the electrical structure, has become their home. They own that spot.
I came away with some shots I’m really proud of — the pair on the nest, one launching with wings fully spread, a gliding pass overhead, and a return to the nest with fish in tow. Not bad for a regular drive home.
If you’re ever near Jackson Lake, take Winding Way and keep your eyes up. You never know what you’ll find.
Joe Bryant 